Can someone recommend a complete drip irrigation system for me?

wilsocnJune 26, 2012

I have about 15 or so container on my deck. They are mostly plants that I started from seed and they are all in various size pots ranging from 4" up to 12" I believe. We are experiencing both a heat wave and a drought here and its getting hard to keep them all watered all the time.

I started looking into drip irrigation systems and it has left me confused to be honest. I was hoping that someone can recommend a complete kit that I can buy that will have everything I need to water 15 to 20 containers on my deck. It doesn't have to be automatic so either a timer system or something I need to turn off and on manually is ok with me.

Thanks in advance for any recommendations.

I almost forgot to add that I just use regular Miracle Grow potting mix in case that makes any difference at all and I have lots of random plants such as young blue sage, English lavender, Tiny Tim Tomatoes, zinnias, small sunflowers and various pepper plants.

I recommend DripWorks. If you e-mail or fax them a diagram of your garden or deck, they'll recommend a system and sell you everything you need.

I suspect you'll need something like this: a filter and pressure regulator; 1/2" "mainline" tubing to circle the rail or floor of your deck; 1/4" tubing leading from the mainline to each of your planters; one or two emitters for each pot; fittings for the mainline corners; a male hose end and cap; a female hose start and plug; tools and connectors; and some extras. They're very easy to set up once you get the hang of it. I would suggest a timer, too, and a "Y" hose adapter with shutoff valves so that you can attach another hose to the same faucet.

Most lowes carry mister landscaper brand drip supplies, and I believe there is a kit designed for setting up a system for patio pants... May meet your needs, probably worth a look. Just be careful, leaving a garden hose on all day can lead to disaster andan expensive water bill :)

Thanks nygardener and howelbama. I went and had a look today and the kit at Lowe's looks like it will suit my need as long as I upgrade to the 1/2" main tubing and add extra drippers. It looks like that is where they get you with these things. The kits themselves arent expensive but upgrading to make it more practical can run into a little extra money.